Pine Technical College
Policy and Procedure
Policy Number: 229 Date: July 6, 2006
Revision Date:
Division/Department: Academic Affairs Author:
Mary Jo Mettler, Rita Youngbauer
Subject: Course Development and Maintenance Process
Authorities:
Academic Affairs Office and Curriculum Committee
Policy:
Academic Affairs will provide a consistent and uniform approach to
development of courses and maintenance of the course inventory. Every course in
the course inventory shall have a course outline
Guiding Principles:
• Course Prefix: The alphabetical acronym will be
selected in order to approximate the title of the program or the name of the
division in which the course is housed. Hour based courses will be identified
with the fourth character being a “Z”. Credit based technical courses will be
identified with the fourth character being a “P” General Education courses will
be identified with the subject based convention most commonly used by other
MnSCU colleges and universities.
• Course Numbering: The first number of the four number
series will denote whether a course occurs in the first or second year of a
traditional program plan, with #1 designating a first year course, and #1
designating a second year or third or fourth semester course. The #0 in the
first of the four number series will designate the course as a developmental
course.
• Course Name:
o Course names will not include
specific names of products, machine brand names, or other current commercial
trademarks or names.
o Course names will be selected in
order to provide a generic description of the course.
o Course names should be selected
from among those generally used and accepted at other higher education
institutions.
o Names should be no longer than 24
characters.
• Course Descriptions should be limited to 34 words and
include the term the course is offered; if applicable, the MnTC goal area; and
the prerequisites required.
• Each course outline should include five (5) to six (6)
learning outcomes
• Credit value of the course should be designated as to its
lecture – lab – OJT components. One lecture credit is equal to one hour of class
time and 2 hours outside of class each week. One lab credit is equal to two
hours of time in the lab each week and one hour outside of class. OJT is on the
job training and equates to three hours of effort outside of class each week.
• CIP Assignment: Per the Office of the Chancellor, courses
should be assigned a CIP code that is most closely related to the course
content. It is more important to assign the CIP based on the relationship
between course content and CIP definition than the particular department that is
administratively responsible for the course.
• Prerequisite vs Co – requisite: A perquisite is a course or
entrance placement score that must be achieved before a student is allowed to
enroll in a course. On the other hand, a co – requisite is a course that must be
taken in the same semester as another course.
• Approval requirements - Creator(s) of the course must be
able to show that anticipated enrollment, need or interest exists to support
approval of the course.
o Curriculum Committee approval
required
o If the course is to be included in
the MnTC, refer to Policy 225, MnTransfer Course Development Process for further
requirements.
Procedure:
See attached
Responsibilities:
Chief Academic Officer, Curriculum Coordinator
Dissemination:
To all faculty and staff via the campus intranet.
Reviewed by Leadership Team: 8-7-06
Reviewed by Faculty Shared Governance: 10-25-06
Approved: Date: 10-25-06
Robert L. Musgrove, Ph.D.
Procedure for making changes to current outline:
1. The Faculty Member will notify (via email) the Curriculum
Coordinator of the need to make changes and general description of the changes.
2. The Curriculum Coordinator will determine if a new course
number needs to be assigned (if it does, then see the next section.) The CC will
notify the Faculty Member the determination and place a copy of the existing
outline in S:\Curriculum\Pending.
3. Faculty Member will make changes to the outline and save
it to S:\Curriculum\Pending. They will change the file name to indicate the
starting semester of the new outline. Then notify the CC (via email) of the
completed outline. Example: HUMS 1210 Public Social Policy Fall 07
4. Curriculum Coordinator will request it to be on the next
AASC agenda, and present it.
a. If the AASC Curriculum Committee
does not approve, it will be tabled until the Faculty Member can be present to
answer questions.
b. If the AASC Curriculum Committee
approves it, the Faculty Member will be notified.
5. Curriculum Coordinator will move the file from pending to
official record file, send updated file for updates in IRSR/DARS, and notify the
Dean of Student Services of the changes. Other course prerequisites will be
checked and updated as needed. The Faculty Member is responsible to submit
appropriate documents for scheduling.
6. If approval is not obtained, the file will be moved to the
‘not approved’ folder for future reference.
Procedure for creating a new course outline:
1. The Faculty Member will notify (via email) the Curriculum
Coordinator of the need to create a new course and general description of the
new course.
2. The Curriculum Coordinator will determine that a new
course number needs to be assigned. The Curriculum Coordinator will tentatively
assign the new course number and forward it to the Faculty Member via email.
3. Faculty Member will complete an outline for the new course
using the Course Outline Template found at S:\Curriculum\Outlines. The course
outline must contain the following information: course name, description, total
credits, credit breakout, learning outcomes, and prerequisites. When completed,
the Faculty Member will save it to S:\Curriculum\Pending. The file name shall be
as follows: the course number, name, and the starting semester. Then notify the
CC of the completed outline. Example: ARTS 1210 Art Appreciation Fall 07
4. Curriculum Coordinator will request it to be on the next
AASC agenda, and present it.
a. If the AASC curriculum committee
does not approve, it will be tabled until the Faculty Member can be present to
answer questions.
b. If the AASC curriculum committee
approves it, the Faculty Member will be notified and move to the next step.
5. Curriculum Coordinator will move the file from pending to official record
file, send updated file for updates in IRSR/DARS and notify the Dean of Student
Services of the changes. As appropriate, the course will be added to the MnTC
inventory. Other course prerequisites will be checked and updated as needed. The
Faculty Member is responsible to submit appropriate documents for scheduling and
following the program plan updating procedure as needed.
6. If approval is not obtained, the file will be moved to the ‘not approved’
folder for future reference.